"The 2011 winter meetings came with high expectations for White Sox wheeling and dealing. Sadly for the Sox, one trade isn't much to make Sox fans feel better about watching a hero — Mark Buehrle — walk away.

For all the talk of starting pitchers John Danks and Gavin Floyd being dangled on the trade block, general manager Ken Williams said Wednesday he expects to go into the 2012 season with the pitching as is.

"But, again, it's a long offseason, and that can change,'' Williams said.

Hmmm. Williams reportedly talked to the Red Sox on Wednesday about Danks and Floyd. Outfielder Carlos Quentin's name probably came up, too.

"I've met with a lot of people,'' Williams said of those reports, "but I don't expect anything to happen.''"